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September 13, 2017

Apple introduced the new iPhone 8 yesterday. Then they introduced the even newer iPhone X.

Why no iPhone 9? Because 7 ate 9, of course. Maybe the number 9 is bad luck in the tech world. Microsoft jumped from Windows 8 to Windows 10 and now Apple is skipping the nine in the their iPhone line. I suppose Apple could still introduce an new older model (does that make sense?) called the iPhone 9 next year, but let's not worry about that for now.

The only thing I'm worried about right now is that "notch" at the top of the iPhone X screen.

June 29, 2017

Ten years ago today, I bought my first iPhone. I waited in line for more than three hours to make sure I would get one the first day it was available. This wasn't an iPhone 3G, 5S, or 7. It was just "iPhone" — the original.

On June 29, 2007, I replaced my old Samsung flip phone with the Apple's smartphone and switched from T-Mobile to AT&T. I've never looked back.

Less than a week after buying the iPhone, I left for Europe. The iPhone wouldn't be available in Europe for several months, so you can imagine how excited people were when they saw it. Whether I was in France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, or Denmark, the iPhone never failed to impress. The locals were awestruck by the iPhone's sleek design, built-in camera, and amazing touchscreen. The first time people saw "pinch to zoom," their jaws dropped.

People looked at me like I was from the future — because I was. The iPhone not only changed the mobile phone, it changed our way of life.

June 9, 2017

When Apple announced the AirPods last fall, I wasn't too excited. I didn't understand why there was so much news coverage about them. I didn't get why so many people rushed to preorder them. They're just wireless headphones, right?

As the running season approached, I decided it was time to invest in some new headphones. I had recently bought my Apple Watch and needed a wireless pair to use with them. I looked at a few options and did some research. The AirPods, which I had previously been disinterested in, rose to the top of my list. I went to buy some at the Apple Store and of course they did not have any in stock. I put in my order and received the AirPods about a month later.

I've been using the AirPods for about a month and they are simply amazing. Why? Here are three reasons:

1. Sound

The AirPods sound incredible. They are as good, if not better than the Lightning headset that comes with the iPhone 7. They have crystal clear highs and surprisingly full bass. The overall frequency response is smooth and they don't hurt my ears, even after long periods of listening.

April 1, 2017

Japan, a land steeped in tradition, but also known for its technological progress, has just made a stunning announcement. The Japanese language will be completely replaced by emojis.

Japan's language overseer, Iwao Suzuki, made the announcement on the first day of the month, saying, "The leadership of Japan has unanimously voted to use emojis as our primary written language going forward." He said, "We have been planning this change for several years and we believe now is the right time."

Instead of using complex symbols to depict words and phrases, Japanese people will simply be able to tap emojis on a keyboard. For example, "love" can now be written with a simple heart emoji instead of the complicated Kanji character, as shown below.

❤️ vs 愛

"It makes a lot of sense," said Miku Mitsubishi, a Japanese reporter who has been following the developments over the past several years. "Japanese is such a tricky language. You have three different written scripts – hiragana, katakana, and kanji – just for one language. It's too much." She explained, "If we're going to simplify the language to one writing system, emojis is the logical choice."

March 18, 2017

I've had the Apple Watch Nike+ for over two months now and have worn it every day. Over time, I've grown to like some things about the watch more than than I thought I would. Other aspects, well, not so much.

I've listed the top five best and worst things of the Apple Watch below. I'll start with the worst and save the best for last.

The 5 Worst Things

1. The charger

The Apple Watch charger is circular contraption the connects magnetically to the back of the watch. I like the magnetic part, but I have no idea why they decided to put in on the back of the watch. It would be so much easier if the charger connected to the side. Instead of simply placing the watch on the charger, I have to pull both sides of the wristbands taught and meticulously place it on the white circle. I do this every night in my dark bedroom and it's annoying.